Friday Night Cushion
by E.J. Cady
Summary: Tara doesn't want to go out. Pam doesn't want to stay in...or does she?


Author's Note: I've been receiving polite messages of interest concerning how I characterize Pam and Tara's romantic dynamic, which is understandable since in my formula Tara, for the most part, is doing all the work and Pam comes to her senses a little later in the story. For those of you who have read my stories or have begun reading them you've noticed I attempt and occasionally succeed in emulating the mannerisms of our beloved true blood characters (not tooting my own horn just pointing out I care about their character). I've watched the show, studied some clips, even done some extra research because that's the type of nut I am when it comes to my writing and being true to the characters I become enamored by. With that being said Pam's stubborn as hell (not just in my stories) and Tara has mommy issues ( can we say Lettie Mae) the scale is always going to be one sided until someone (who is usually Pam) comes to their senses. If you're still not getting it let me put it in another way, no one asks me why Pam's such a bitch or Lafayette is such a charismatic smart ass when I write them because that's what we love about these two characters and without it it wouldn't be canon. However, now that I've been called out I don't want you all to think I'm a one trick pony… so this story is a not an angsty, Tara begging for love, Pam being stubborn about love type fic…it's my baby step to being more well rounded, lol.

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In navy blue sweats and a short sleeve gray shirt with one sleeve rolled up over her shoulder Tara lounged on the couch with a glass bowl and a spoon with the light of the television dancing on her ebony face. Her feet were bare and her legs crossed at the ankles on the coffee table with her left knee slightly bent and hanging while the rest of her was slouched sinking into the cushion of the living room couch.

"Why are you watching this show?" Pam asked when she saw muscle bound animated characters with high hair fighting.

"Because it's awesome," Tara answered simply as if it were obvious.

"For ages ten and under," sitting on the arm of the couch while she placed an earring in her left ear Pam wished she hadn't told Eric she would attend the first annual human and vampire species relations gala. Tara made lazy look sexy making Pam envy the couch, the bowl, hell the fucking remote.

Tara chewed her cereal leisurely replying, "You don't know what you're missing."

"The Japanese have a rich culture, but I'll pass on their cartoons."

"Their characterizations are phenomenal and the stories and their plots are incredible." The younger vampire chewed absently before her jaws slowed drawing her eyes away from Dragon Ball Z. Craning her neck she lowered her bowl dropping her spoon, "I never said it was a Japanese cartoon."

Pam finished with her earring rose from the arm, "so."

"So you can't tell that's it Japanese just from glancing at it," she held herself up with one arm. "So how did you know…?" she trailed off.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Pam," Tara placed her bowl on the table earning a frown from her lover and she quickly picked it up carrying it with her instead. Not only could she get a refill, but she could admire her girlfriend from afar following the blond around the house enjoying the view of her well shaped body inside a blue strapless origami pleat satin dress. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess."

"Bullshit."

"I'm going to be late I don't have time for this," she began looking for the matching purse to her outfit on the table in the foyer.

Tara often chuckled to herself standing in this irrelevant room commenting once to Pam who thought it was a wonderful feature when they were contemplating buying it. Never in a millions years did she consider living in a house with a fucking foyer.

"You're going to be late anyway," the young vampire wrapped her hands around her waist, "this way if I keep you a little longer that fashionable entrance you're always looking for is going to be ridiculously fashionable."

"Especially if I'm walking in when everyone's leaving right?" Pam's smile was thin, but it was genuine.

"I don't know why you don't stay and have cereal and watch cartoons with me anyway."

"A girl doesn't get dolled up for a night on the couch," the blond informed, "no matter how sexy her girlfriend is."

Dropping a kiss on Pam's bare shoulder Tara turned on her heel to the kitchen acknowledging the futility of asking her girlfriend to stay. It made her contemplate the value of a hundred years and if they got to that point would Pam be as blindingly loyal to Tara as she was to Eric? Only time would tell. Pouring a bowl full of Honey Bunches of Oats she saturated the borders of the mound of cereal with refrigerated True Blood using her spoon to mix it in with her flakes.

"I hate when you do that," Pam curved a brow at the bowl. "It's like black people putting hot sauce on everything like they are trying to meet some kinda national quota."

Tara hummed from the delicious taste closing her eyes for emphasis before letting them open again lazily, "we are," she answered smartly passing her lover to reclaim the indent on the couch that cupped her body in a familiar way.

"Are you going to miss me?" Pam asked behind her wrapping her arms around the dark woman's shoulders while resting her chin on her head.

Tara collected her cereal in the cheek to answer, "Like the desert misses the rain." Then she began crunching again never taking her eyes off the screen.

Pam stalled as much as she could to enjoy this closeness with Tara, "this looks retarded. You should come with me."

"Where?" Tara feigned dumb.

"The Gala."

"Oh," she commented eyes glued to the television.

The blond straightened, "you know how many men and women would kill to be my date and all I get is an 'oh'."

Tara pauses the television leaning her head back to get a good view of the irritated blond. "I love you, you're beautiful, and I'm totally jealous of Eric because everyone's going to be coveting his date. And if I wasn't watching this, if I didn't have a pizza coming I would go."

"Pizza?" Pam repeated astounded.

"Yea, this Luciano's has got this pizza made out of True Blood, Jess was telling me about it, supposed to be good."

"You're ditching me for cereal, pizza, and DBZ?" Pam didn't like where her priorities lay at the moment.

"Um…no you're the one who's ditching me, I'm going to be waiting patiently on this couch until you get back from your…why'd you call it DBZ?"

"Don't change the subject."

"I'm rerouting the subject to the original subject," then it dawned on Tara, "are you a closet Dragon Ball Z fan?"

"Now you're talking crazy," Pam denied, but it didn't wash away the expression of excitement on Tara's face like she'd discovered a diamond.

Tara laughed in response to Pam's sinewy back and her retreating figure, "I'll be counting the hours, have fun!"

Beginning her program again Goku informed the Z fighters that the only hope for mankind against Cell was his son Gohan surprising everyone considering the boy hadn't reached puberty yet. Tara felt a smile tug on the corner of her mouth, cartoons always put her in a happy place and cereal augmented her childlike delight.

She didn't move when she heard the front door open and shut moments later and heels clicking up the stairs, "what'd you forget?" she called out not entirely concerned. Drawn in and irritated by the cliffhanger she was glad they were doing a marathon tonight having little patience to wait the next week for the next episode. She heard her lover moving around upstairs, but she wasn't curious enough to investigate.

The doorbell rang.

"I got it!" Tara sped to the door assuming correctly when she opened her door and found a thin pimple faced boy with braces and orange hair holding a box with a large pizza with blood toppings. She licked her lips aware of the affect it might have on the shaking kid.

"How much do I owe you?" Tara pulled out a twenty regardless since the teen didn't answer. Pursing her lips she reached for the box sliding it out of his hand and placing the bill inside the palm still warm from holding the hot pie. "Keep the change."

Using her foot to the close the door behind her and unwittingly of the frozen pizza delivery guy she opened the box to examine the Luciano' Pizza new addition to the menu.

"So far so good," she whispered reverently as her mouth watered. Distracted by her pizza she almost didn't notice the long pale legs on the arm of the couch. Upon a closer look, pizza still in hand, Pam wore shorts that barely covered her thighs and a thin cropped shirt and her hair was loose over her shoulders. Tara had an idea of what Pam had in mind with a smile fighting to take over her lips as she asked, "What are you doing?"

Pam crossed her legs letting the shorts ride up just under her buttocks swinging her foot as she drank from their personal collection of human blood from a glass, "nothing—that is the point of a lazy Friday night at home isn't it, to do nothing?"

"Whoever told you that is sorely mistaken," Tara became deathly serious, "there's a lot planning involved, the right show for instance that sets the right mood," she held up the pizza, "with the right food. I make it look easy, but it's no different than a sport you got to have hand eye coordination," she claimed an edge of the cushion Pam's body hadn't taken over, opening the pizza, "have you ever tried biting into a pizza without taking your eyes off the TV, some never master it."

"I had no idea," Pam intoned soberly playing along.

"Of course you wouldn't," she stood to procure plates and napkins from the kitchen, "society's brainwashed us to think staying at home on a Friday can't be an event, you've got to go out and get sexy and drunk. When all you really got to do is sit back and be sexy in the comfort of your own home," she shared sagely.

"I think you're onto something," Pam drawled when Tara returned to her part of the cushion. "Tell me more."

Tara opened her mouth then shook her head, "I think it's best if I just show you."

In a blur Tara shifted Pam and herself until they were sandwiched by cushions on their right side with Pam lounging between the younger vampire's legs with a slice of pizza prepared for her on a plate on the table conveniently angled closer to them. Turning her head slightly she was inches away from her lover's lips, "am I doing it right?"

"This ain't too bad for your first try," Tara pressed her lips to Pam's quickly and tenderly, "but to be on the safe side I think we should require more Friday night practices, to make sure you've got it down." Then she helpfully picked up the slice she took out for Pam and held it to her mouth.

"I live to overachieve," Pam respond agreeing.

Pleasantly surprised by the taste she moaned her satisfaction pushing the hand away encouraging Tara to take a bite.

"Good," the younger vampire commented.

Pam nestled into the body behind her while Tara fast forwarded the commercials, "You know, I think Vegeta is one of the most underrated characters on this show," she commented absently.

Tara didn't want to ruin the moment with a redundant exclamation, she could silently celebrate that her suspicions were right. Marveling at yet another part of Pam, a strictly geeky part, she chose to share. Pressing into her lover venturing passed the point of mushy and sentimental by planting a kiss on her temple they lay cuddled discovering something elusive and too special to let go of. So they lay there without examining what it was deciding to laze around in it instead.


End file.
